Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-02-26
--MARTlMSBUR0 INDEPENDENT. Z
Saturday. Feb. NJ 1857.


spring noW. Every preparation
should be made before the busy sea-
son opens irsthe spring.
Cows thatthave mo- bedding are of
ten injured in the knees by getting
up or down, especially ff tke floors
be wet or slippery.
Use the SCOT from the Stevepipes
and chimneys. 1t is excellent for
flowers and yenng plants. Mix it
with water, about peck Of eoot to
barrel of water, and apply with a
watering pot.
A French horticulturist, M. Noble,
has found that,the seeds of the fin
est variety of grapes terminate more
quickly than those of the comnoner
sorts, and that-seeds fresh from the
fruit terminate better than those
which have been dried.
or the varieties Of ducks the Eek
in stand confinement best, but they
are net as tame asthescommon KINDS
They grow very large, often reach
ing eight or nine pounds each, and
Yield feathers of white color and
equal ito those Of the goose.
The nearer the freezing point the
cellar can be maintained without act
nally endangering the stored fruit
the better for apples. Heat and
aight do more damage than cold.
Alternate. freezing and thawing will
soon destroy fruit and vegetables.
An exchange advises planting
peach trees closely, not over twelve
to fourteen feet apart, and .entting
back strong and putting only plant
ed crops among them for year or
two, and then giving the ground to
the orchard, keeping it well cult
waited.
Orchards may be pruned at any
time from the present until the buds
begin to swell, but the earlier the
work is done the better. Grape vim
es may also be pruned now and
should be, lest the work be deferr-,
ed too late. In the early spring the
vines will bleed too much and for
this reason it is best not to delay
this work.
Flour of sulphur is the great rem
edy employed in Canada to check
mildew on grape vines, but the Ma
tional Agricultural Society of France,
in it's session of few weeks ago,
brought into prominence another
remedy, which M. Pasteur says is SO
effeotual that the inventor should be
discovered if possible, and suitable
reward conferred upon him. The
remedy is mixture of milk and lime
and sulphate of copper.
Iron is an important part of the
blood, giving it red color, but this
does not necessitate taking solutions
of iron for health. All well-devel-
eped vegetation contains some iron.
1t is the coloring matter OF green
leaves. In soils from which every
trace of iron has been removed seeds
will terminate, but they will be
white. Pouring solution Of cop.
peras or sulphate Of iron on the soil
will change the leaves to a dark
green color.
A cross of the Dorking and light
Brahma makes excellent capons.
They should be Matched as early as
possible and kept until full grown.
The best time to sell is in February |
and March, during which periods the
prices are often as high as fifty cents
per pound, while choice capons will
weigh from twelve to fourteen pounds
each. The proper crosses should be |
used in order to produce large capons.
Leghorns, Hamburgs, black Spanish |
and other small breeds are worthless
as capons. Only the large breeds
should be used.
Without doubt the greatest and
most common loss in team manage
ment is from keeping poor horses
unable at any time to do a full days